NASHUA, N.H. – Lesley University led by as many as twelve in the second half, but Fisher College would storm back to top the Lynx 88-82 in the opening night of the Rivier University Tip-Off Tournament on Friday. Senior Marquise Johnson (Hampton, Va.) paced the offense for the Lynx as he led the team with 15 points, seven boards, and five assists.
The Lynx will return for day two of tournament action tomorrow and battle Unity College tomorrow at 12:00p. The Rams dropped their day one matchup to host Rivier 107-63 earlier Friday evening.
A flurry of three's early in the second half coupled with a pair of free throws from Johnson opened up the biggest lead of the game at 56-44 with 16:21 on the clock. Junior Joey Martin (Melbourne, Fla.) had the hot hand for the Lynx as he drained four straight from beyond the arc to power the surge.
The Falcons would quickly trim the deficit as a Jamontay Thompson put back an offensive rebound to cap a 13-5 run for Fisher to cut the lead down to four, 61-57, over the next four minutes of play. The Lynx would use the three-ball to build the lead back up to 11. Junior Will Gibson (Melbourne, Fla.) knocked down a pair from deep while Johnson and senior Pierre St. Simon (Farmingdale, N.Y.) each drove the lane for layups to give Lesley a 71-60 lead.
The Lynx offense would hit a rut and go scoreless over the next five minutes while the Falcons forced four Lesley turnovers and scored 12 straight points to grab a one-point edge, 72-71, with 5:24 left on the clock.
A Johnson layup would get the offense back in gear for the Lynx before the two sides would trade buckets. Senior Devon Mayo (Newport News, Va.) buried a jumper with 90-ticks left to thrust the Lynx back ahead by one, 79-78, before Fisher's Neal Cooper knocked down a pair of free throws on the next Falcons possession to exchange the lead once again with just over a minute to play.
A Fisher foul put Johnson on the line where he connected for 1-of-2 to even the score at 80-80 before Brodric Smith hit a 15-footer with time winding down on the shot clock to put the Falcons back ahead by two.
Fisher was steady down the stretch from the free throw line, knocking down eight straight to ice the game in favor of the Falcons, 88-82.
Mayo, Martin, and Gibson each finished with 12 points for the Lynx while sophomore Charlie Reznikoff (Wilton, Conn.) and freshman LaMarr Mitchell (Baltimore, Md.) each came off the bench for seven points apiece.